Feeling Lost? One Simple Question Will Help Guide You.

April 7, 2024

Road trips are a beloved American tradition, and I’ve had my fair share of them. From being the restless kid in the backseat, to taking the wheel solo, bringing the kids along, and even enjoying the scenery as a passenger, I’ve seen it all. But, before embarking on any road trip adventure, there’s a crucial first step: knowing your destination.

However, the recipe for a truly memorable journey involves more than just a final destination. It’s about mastering three essential steps to get you prepared for the ride. 

#1. Know where you are starting

Think about your most recent road trip. What is the first thing you did before you hop on the road? 

You plugged your final destination into your GPS. And what does the GPS need to know to get you to your desired destination?

It needs to know where you are RIGHT NOW. It is NOT even possible to get you to your destination without first knowing where you are right NOW. 

Knowing where you are in the moment is vital to actually getting where you want to go. It’s not just the key to GPS; it’s the key to navigating life itself.

Which is why asking Where am I? is the single most important question you can ask yourself when navigating the journey of life.

#2 Trust where you are going

Here’s the deal: Your higher self is deeply devoted to your soul’s mission, your deepest desire.

Your ego, on the other hand, is only aligned with keeping you safe and secure, which of course is important, but your ego has tunnel vision and does not always see the big picture.

Your higher self has the bird’s eye view and a much more expansive perspective on reality.

Your most important job is to align with and trust your higher self while simultaneously navigating your ego’s desire for safety and security.

Like GPS on a road trip, your higher self always has the final destination (your soul’s deepest desire) all mapped out. It knows exactly how to get you there.

Yet you and your ego can only see what is right around you. This limited perspective can only take into account a small part of the bigger picture. The ego is inherently limited.

#3. Surrendering to the path forward

Remember taking your kids on a road trip or being a kid on a road trip?

As the driver, you’re in control. In the backseat, your kids have far less control. For them, the trip is long and unpredictable, so they get antsy in the back seat. They might even scream and fight.

 However, your trusted navigation system is on and you know where you’re going and how to get there. For you, the trip is very predictable.

In the backseat your ego may kick up a bit, feeling unsure about whether or not this is the best way to go, which elicits some fear and resistance in you, the driver who has all the control .

What a metaphor for how we can build more trust into our lives. 

Your job is to learn how to toggle between the loud voices in the backseat and the trusted directions from the GPS.

Sometimes thinking you might know better, you might find yourself overriding the GPS, believing this shortcut is clearly better or faster.

Notice what happens when you make this choice. 

Yet, if you decide to take a left when the GPS says go right, it simply re-routes you to your original destination. It doesn’t yell at you, judge you, criticize you, or punish you.

The GPS, like your higher self, is solely focused on the original destination and never waivers no matter how many times you change direction. 

See where I am going here? 

When you become distracted by the fears and concerns of your ego, you will likely make choices and decisions that hold you back, create drama, or distract you. 

No problem.

Your higher self is on the high watch and patiently waiting for you to come along. It really doesn’t care how many times it has to re-route you, it will always lead you home to your soul’s highest vision no matter how long it takes.

So as we move forward, let me ask you this: Do you trust your GPS or doubt it?

My guess is you trust it. You don’t question it or wonder if it really knows how to get you to your destination. I imagine you put the destination in and just go with it.

You surrender to the GPS.

So perhaps this week you can practice surrendering to your higher self, or at the very least begin noticing what gets in the way of doing so.

When resistance arises in you, simply acknowledge that the energy of resistance is here now. 

Say hello to the resistance and even welcome it.

Now, I know this sounds strange, but play with it!!! See what happens.

For example; the next time someone is late, your significant other disagrees with you, your kid fails their first semester of college, your mother in law interferes in your marriage, or whatever your drama du jour is, notice thoughts that come forward, like:

He shouldn’t have….

She should have…

I don’t understand….

I wish he/she did this instead……..

Why did this/that happen???…..

These thoughts, whether spoken aloud or not, are flags that you are in resistance to what is occurring.

This is NOT a problem (even though I know your mind might want to perceive resistance as a problem).

It is simply “What is actually happening.”

Acknowledging what is, is the first and most important step in the transformation game.

You cannot shift what you are not aware of.

So this week, play with how much resistance you experience.

And welcome yourself to the Zone of Awareness, where transformation is possible.

In gratitude,

Annmarie Chereso
Author, Speaker, Coach, & Meditation Teacher

PS: Know a young person launching in life? I will be restarting my Launch & Life groups this fall. I have a few open spots. Email me at annmarie@bringithome.me to get on the list.